Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
ahedden@elritomedia.com

A struggling turtle native to the waters of New Mexico, including the Pecos River, is at the center of a federal lawsuit.

The Rio Grande cooter was denied federal protections under the Endangered Species Act in 2022 after a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity called for it to be added to the federal list of “endangered” species.

Endangered status means the federal government, namely the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, believes a species’ extinction is imminent.

Such a listing means the agency must devise a recovery plan, require stricter analysis before development can occur near or in habitat, and potentially set aside lands for the species’ recovery.

The lesser “threatened” status indicates the service believes an endangered listing may soon be warranted and results in similar requirements to prevent extinction.

In response to the service denying the cooter endangered status about three years ago, the Center for Biological Diversity sued the Fish and Wildlife Service Jan. 8 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking to reverse the agency’s 2022 decision and calling for a judge to set a hearing on the matter.

The complaint cited data and research the national environmental nonprofit argued was proof that protections were needed.

The cooter dwells in a “fragmented range” across the Pecos, Rio Grande and Rio Bravo rivers in New Mexico, West Texas and northeast Mexico, read the suit, and its survival is threatened by worsening drought in the riparian areas where it dwells.

“Rio Grande cooters are threatened by climate change, unsustainable water usage and the oil industry’s influence, but we can save them with Endangered Species Act protections,” said Camila Cossío, an attorney at the Center.

The turtle is also impacted by the trade industry, read the suit, when the turtles and other “exotic” species are collected and exported as pets out of their natural habitats.

Seven of the top 10 pet exports from the U.S. are turtle species, read a 2025 study published by the Center for Biological Diversity. About 8.7 million reptiles were exported from the U.S. since 2017, most of them directly from the wild, the study read.

“The pet trade contributes to the growing global extinction crisis,” read the study. “Wildlife exploitation, including taking animals out of the wild to become pets, is the leading driver of marine species loss and the secondary driver of terrestrial species loss.”

The Center originally filed a petition to list the cooter in 2012, and the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2015 issued a 90-day finding that a listing would be warranted. That triggered a 12-month analysis, which led to the 2022 denial to grant the species protected status.

In denying the listing, the Fish and Wildlife Service explained that despite stressors on its habitat, the species had several “resilient” populations throughout its range in Texas and New Mexico.

Cooter populations were found in all five of its native river basins: the Pecos River in New Mexico, the Devils River and Rio Grande in Texas, and two others in Mexico, read the service’s 2022 announcement denying the listing.

As a result, the announcement read, the species maintained “genetic diversity,” meaning cooters can reproduce in different areas and problematic traits such as diseases can be bred out of the population.

“Because Rio Grande cooter has maintained multiple resilient population analysis units across a diversity of habitat types and within all five river basins in which it historically occurred, the species has retained redundancy and representation at the species level,” read the announcement.

“Based on these conditions, the current risk of extinction for the Rio Grande cooter is low.”

Opponents of the listing argued a listing would unduly impede development in the oilfields and ranchlands of West Texas and southeast New Mexico, where the Permian Basin – the United States’ busiest oil and gas field – is located.

Robert Hatter, landman at the Texas General Land Office, argued western portions of the 13 million acres of state-owned land where oil and gas is produced could be adversely affected by listing the cooter.

“The (General Land Office) believes this substantial acreage would be adversely and unnecessarily impacted by a listing, due to the associated restrictions that a listing would impose on economic development of the property,” read comments signed by Hatter and submitted in 2015 when the listing was proposed.

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Todd Fuqua
El Rito Media
tfuqua@elritomedia.com

Officials with the Ruidoso Downs Race Track announced today that the entire 2026 race meet will be held at the Downs of Albuquerque this year, citing concerns continue over the track’s security and damage from previous catastrophic flooding.

According to a press release from the track, the decision was not made based on findings in a report by J.E. Fuller Hydrology and Geomorphology in Flagstaff, Ariz. The entire J.E. Fuller report, made to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and dated Aug. 5, 2025, can be found here.

“It is, without question, the most challenging and emotional choice we have ever made as an organization,” the press release states. “We will continue to communicate openly as we assess our next steps.”

This summer will mark the first summer in more than 80 years that there has not been organized horse racing at Ruidoso Downs. Initially known as Hollywood Park, the track first hosted paramutuel racing in 1947. It has hosted the All American Futurity – the world’s richest quarter horse race – since 1959.

The release states the 2026 NM Bred Sale and Super Select sale will still be held at the Ruidoso Downs Sales pavilion in their normal time frames.

“This news is heartbreaking for our entire community. Ruidoso Downs Race Track is far more than a venue; it is woven into the very fabric of our region’s identity and economy,” said Ruidoso mayor Lynn Crawford in a statement released Monday. “For generations, the thundering hooves of champion quarter horses have drawn visitors from across the nation to our mountain community. The track generates vital revenue for local businesses, provides hundreds of jobs, and brings the world’s finest horsemen and women to our doorstep each summer.”

Full text of the Ruidoso Downs press release regarding the track’s closing:

“We have been diligently working with local, state, and federal agencies to evaluate ongoing flooding risks at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and determine whether flood mitigation measures could be implemented to prevent a repeat of the significant flooding that occurred in July 2024 and July 2025. Both these flooding events were catastrophic for the customers, patrons, employees, horsemen, and horses at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack. Our goal has been to return the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack facilities and operations—if that could be done — with flood mitigation steps needed both on-site and off property upstream of the Racetrack to avoid a future flooding event. For the past several months, we have begged for solutions to no avail.

Thursday, January 15, 2026, Ruidoso Downs Racetrack owner Johnny Trotter, General Manager Rick Baugh, and Village of Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford traveled to the State Capitol in Santa Fe, NM, to meet with numerous state officials to discuss additional flood mitigation efforts, only to find out that the racetrack is not sustainable now or for many years to come.  It has now become clear that, even with proposed flood mitigation work done on-site and off-site upstream, Ruidoso Downs Racetrack cannot be adequately protected from future flooding.

We are sharing the findings of engineering firm JE Fuller, which was retained by and working for the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security, regarding future flood risks at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack. August 5, 2025, JE Fuller analysis shows that the Racetrack faces serious and ongoing flooding risks that cannot be adequately addressed with the mitigation measures proposed.

According to the JE Fuller Report, even moderate rainfall events—around two inches or more per hour—can overwhelm existing and planned drainage improvements intended to mitigate flooding risks at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack. A rainfall event of two inches per hour over the fire-scarred areas creates a high risk of dangerous flooding at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack that could be life threatening.

Based on the JE Fuller findings, and our follow-up discussions with governmental agencies, the engineers specializing in hydrology and flooding concluded that the Racetrack is not sustainable as a public venue. We are deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of everyone who attends Ruidoso Downs Racetrack, and our equine athletes. Continuing operations at the current site of Ruidoso Downs Racetrack is not feasible.

This decision is not taken lightly. It is, without question, the most challenging and emotional choice we have ever made as an organization. The racing schedule will be run at the Downs at Albuquerque and the 2026 NM Bred Sale, and the Super Select sale will be held at the Ruidoso Downs Sales pavilion in their normal time frames. We will continue to communicate openly as we assess our next steps.”

Full text of the Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford’s statement regarding the track’s closing:

“It is with deep disappointment that I must announce that Ruidoso Downs Race Track will not be able to host the 2026 racing season. The devastating flood events of 2025 caused significant damage to critical track infrastructure, and despite the tireless efforts of repair crews and stakeholders. The 2026 meet will be run at the Downs at Albuquerque and the 2026 New Mexico Bred Sale and the 2026 Super Select Sale will still be held at the Ruidoso Downs Sales Pavilion. The Billy the Kid Casino will also be operational during this time.

This news is heartbreaking for our entire community. Ruidoso Downs Race Track is far more than a venue; it is woven into the very fabric of our region’s identity and economy. For generations, the thundering hooves of champion quarter horses have drawn visitors from across the nation to our mountain community. The track generates vital revenue for local businesses, provides hundreds of jobs, and brings the world’s finest horsemen and women to our doorstep each summer.

The Village of Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs Race Track management, Lincoln County, state officials, and community stakeholders are unified in our commitment to bringing championship quarter horse racing back to Ruidoso for the 2027 season. We are already coordinating recovery efforts, identifying funding sources, and developing an aggressive timeline to ensure that every necessary repair is completed well ahead of Memorial Day 2027.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Johnny and Jana Trotter and Rick Baugh for their tireless efforts over the past two years to keep the track operational. Their dedication, commitment, and passion for preserving this vital part of our community have been nothing short of extraordinary.

Our community has faced unprecedented challenges over the past year, yet time and again we have demonstrated our resilience. We rose from the ashes of the South Fork and Salt Fires, and we are rebuilding after devastating floods. We will all continue recovery efforts, and we will persevere.

To our racing families, horsemen, visitors, and fans: we miss you already, and we are working every single day to welcome you back in 2027. Ruidoso remains open, our community remains strong, and our commitment to the sport of quarter horse racing remains unwavering.”

Todd Fuqua is Editor for the Ruidoso News and can be reached at 575-937-0344.

Adrian Hedden
Artesia Daily Press
ahedden@elritomedia.com

Wastewater from the oil and gas industry could prove a boon to southeast New Mexico’s strapped water supplies, locals said, if New Mexico officials would get out of the way.

The comments came during a discussion on produced water and efforts to treat and reuse the byproduct fluid from oil and gas drilling.

About 50 local government leaders, industry workers and others attended the Jan. 8 meeting at the Pecos River Village Conference Center where researchers presented recent findings on the topic and solicited feedback from the public.

Produced water is mostly brought to the surface from the same underground rock formations, or shale, that yield crude oil and natural gas.

It is high in brine, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, making it unfit for human consumption unless treated and recycled, said Zach Stoll, a scientist from New Mexico State University who presented his findings to the group.

Stoll also serves as executive director of the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium, formed in 2020 by the New Mexico Environment Department and NMSU to study methods of treating produced water to a quality that could be used outside of oil and gas.

The water is currently treated by oil and gas companies and reused in subsequent drilling operations, namely hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – when a combination of water, sand and chemicals is pumped underground to break up fossil fuel-rich shale.

The other option is to pump the produced water back into the rock formation, Stoll said, via disposal wells, which were recently linked to a spate of earthquakes across the Permian Basin.

And it’s a lot of water, he said: between two and five barrels – 42 gallons each – per barrel of oil. In the prolific Permian Basin, Stoll estimated, there could be billions of gallons of water produced every year.

“A lot of water comes up with the oil and gas. In the desert, wouldn’t it be great if we could actually use that water?” he said. “That’s how the science has been looking at it.”

But such scientific progress faced significant “obstacles” from regulators and state decision-makers, Stoll said.

The Produced Water Act was passed by the New Mexico Legislature in 2019, clarifying that the New Mexico Oil Conservation Division had authority to regulate and track produced water’s use within the industry, such as recycling and reuse in drilling.

The Environment Department was tasked with overseeing the product’s potential use outside of the industry, suggesting future applications such as watering crops.

That’s why the department formed the consortium, and Stoll said that while its research and experiments proved that treated produced water is safe for human cells, plants and various fish species, the environment department’s rulemaking Water Quality Control Commission remained unconvinced.

Commission members voted last April to allow permits for produced water to be discharged in conjunction with pilot projects studying its potential for reuse. The commission reversed that decision in May, and opted to require permits even for pilot projects that do not discharge the fluid.

“That kind of makes it difficult because you’re stuck at a much, much smaller scale,” Stoll said of conducting research without the ability to discharge the water into the environment. “From what I’ve seen, it’s very, very safe and its very technically possible to take this water and treat it so that it’s not toxic. The ability to hide your head in the sand has really put us at a disadvantage.”

To local leaders in Carlsbad, the increased water supplies would provide an opportunity to support the needs of the growing community, in step with the booming oil and gas industry in the southeast region of New Mexico.

In 2025, about 1.6 billion barrels of water were produced in the New Mexico oilfields, read a report by the research consortium presented at the meeting, up from about 700 million barrels in 2015.

About 75% of the total water used in Eddy County is for irrigation in the agricultural sector, meaning treating produced water could provide a safe way to offset much of the hydraulic cost of the region’s other leading industries, Stoll said.

“I see this as an industry opportunity. It’s something that could help all of our industries, oil and gas, potash and nuclear,” said Kristen Gamboa, executive director of the Carlsbad Department of Development, a nonprofit that promotes business needs in the area.

“It’s just infrastructure. If it must be industrial, manufacturing, then we need to market it that way.”

Kevin Beardmore, president of Southeast New Mexico College, said the school in Carlsbad recently created its first-ever “environmental management technology” program, which would train students to research produced water treatment and other environmental issues tied to fossil fuel extraction.

New Mexico is already sending about 35% of its produced water to Texas for disposal where regulations are laxer, read the consortium’s report.

And Beardmore worried that the growing oilfield water management industry could also leave the state if policymakers fail to act.

“By the time a market solution arrives, Texas is going to eat our lunch,” Beardmore said. “All the facilities are on the state line in Texas, which is where we’ll be sending our graduates if something doesn’t happen.”

Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com

A Carlsbad housing development was given a $4 million boost by Eddy County and will see apartments and homes installed on the south end of the city.

Eddy County commissioners voted unanimously during their Tuesday, Jan. 13, meeting to approve funding the project, which will use about 20 acres of land at Kircher and Boyd Drive the city purchased from Carlsbad Municipal Schools for about $1.3 million on Oct. 29, 2025.

The plan presented by city of Carlsbad officials included development of 10 acres on the property to hold about 150 to 200 apartments, while the other 10 acres will include 55 single-family houses.

The homes will be priced from $220,000 to $299,000, according to the city’s presentation. It was unclear what monthly rents would be at the apartments.

The county’s contribution was part of a $15.6 million housing project commissioners voted to create at a special meeting Nov. 10. Municipalities such as Carlsbad and Artesia can apply to the commission for a portion of the money to offset costs of housing developments.

In December, the county approved a slate of three housing projects in Artesia, totaling about $6.5 million, meaning about $5 million in county funds remained.

Carlsbad Mayor Rick Lopez said his city’s portion of the money would support growth in the city, which he said depended on adequate housing.

“We purchased the 20 acres for housing,” Lopez said during the meeting. “There will be market-priced apartments, but they will be on the lower price.”

A sticking point for commissioners, before they voted to approve, was the lack of finalized design plans for the homes and apartments.

The city of Carlsbad planned to close a request for proposals from potential contractors for the apartments on Jan. 30 when a contractor will be chosen.

Another request would be issued for the homes in the coming weeks, with final designs for the development – apartment and houses – expected to be approved by Feb. 27.

District 1 County Commissioner Ernie Carlson said the county prefers projects using the county funds to be designed and ready for work to begin before being approved.

“We really want to get these projects going,” he said. “We don’t approve these until we have an invoice from the contractor.”

Lopez said work would begin within 120 days after approval.

“We can have those designs ready to go and shovel-ready. We’re pretty far down the road on that one,” Lopez said. “We need houses.”

District 4 Commissioner Bo Bowen said Carlsbad’s vow to begin work in 120 days was a sign that it was close enough to deserve the county’s support. He noted that if the city does not begin work by the deadline, it could apply to the county for an extension.

“I think there’s been a lot of thought put into this by the city. We don’t have engineered plans, but I think we can take their word for it,” Bowen said. “They’ll either fulfill it or not. I think this is one worth supporting.”

Eddy County building underway

A new county administrative complex was being designed, using feedback recently gained from county employees saying they need more space for a growing staff, said officials with Parkhill, the Frisco, Texas-based design firm leading the project.

Eddy County Commissioners opted last year to move forward with a proposal to shift both the county’s administrative office and its jail from Carlsbad’s downtown area on Greene and Main streets, respectively, to a location near the Cavern City Air Terminal.

The county estimated last year the total cost for the jail and administrative offices would be about $350 million.

Parkhill’s Principal in Charge Kreg Robertson noted “structural challenges” with the administrative building’s continued use, not just in its size but also its design.

He said the building had inadequate security technology, no fire suppression system and “outdated” climate control. Robertson noted the space would also need to grow to accommodate a projected increase in county staff from about 75 workers to 120 in the coming years.

“There are a lot of deficiencies we are looking at,” Robertson said. “We would propose to renew, not renovate.”

Other business

Finance Director Robert Gonzales reported that in November 2025, Eddy County received about $6.6 million in gross receipts tax revenue and $8 million in oil and gas revenue.

Gonzales also reported the county was at about 69% of its budgeted revenue collection as of November, amounting to about $167 million of $244 million the county expected to receive for fiscal year 2026.

Fiscal years run from July 1 to June 30 and are named for the calendar year when they end.

Gonzales said the county was also at 24% of budgeted expenses, about $110 million of the expected $470 million in spending for Fiscal Year 2026.